Retort



RECORDS RETORT Sept 1945.

Filed-July e, 1945 INVENTOR ELME/Z Pica 3 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 25, 1945 I itlmer HsRecords; Tacoma; Wash. '.Application July 6, 1943, Serial 0, 4 93,86

Y ""lGlaim. (013202 106) This in-vention- .relates toimprovements in retorts-designed for calcining and similar operations. More particularly; the invention has reference to retorts of novel construction and disposition, especially adapted for the manufacture of commercial charcoal. It is to be understood, however, that retorts constructed like or similar to that herein shown, are suitable for various uses, and it is not the intention that the claims made in this application shall confine the invention to its uses for the making of charcoal.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a retort of novel construction and disposition of parts, that greatly facilitates the charging an unloading of the retort chamber and wherein provision is made whereby the furnace heat, as supplied to the retort chamber, is utilized also to heat water in a boiler to furnish steam for use in the making of charcoal or for use in whatever operation is being carried out by the retort.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a retort that is of simplified design and economical to construct and to operate.

Still further objects of this invention reside in the specific details of construction and combination of parts, and mode of use of the device, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing the objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view of a retort constructed in accordance with the present invention, as used for the making of charcoal.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2--2 in Fig. 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

9 designates an elongated, cylindrical sheet metal shell enclosing the retort chamber I0. This shell is supported in an inclined position by the wall structure of a furnace which comprises parallel, opposite side walls I I-I I as seen in Fig. 2, front and rear firebox walls I2 and I3, respectively, and a back wall I4 which is parallel with wall I3 and spaced therefrom. The retort shell 9 preferably is inclined at an angle of approximately 45.

Adjacent its upper end, the retort shell rests upon the upper edge of the back wall I4 of the furnace, and it is likewise supported at a medial point and at its lower end respectively, upon cross walls I6 and II which, in effect, are continuations of the front and rear firebox walls I2 and I3.

Arched over the retort to enclose it in the fur- .nace,and,extendingbetween.the side walls 3| I,

.asiseen in cross sectioni's a? top .wall :19. of sheet, metal lindtwithj asuitablerefractory materiarde'sig'natd at l9, and this'a'rched wall is spaced from the retort shell to provide the intermediate open passage 26.

By reference more particularly to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the cross wall- I6 which is a continuation of wall I3, extends about halfway up on the side walls of the retort, leaving the arch passage open above it, and it is shown in Fig. 1 that a vertical cross partition wall 22 is located approximately midway between the walls I3 and I4, in the upper portion of the space between them, and a continuation of this cross wall 22, designated at 22a, surrounds the retort and closes off the space between the retort shell and the side and top walls of the furnace. A stack 24 communicates through an opening 25 in the top wall, with the chamber 26 that communicates with the upper end of the passage that is provided between the walls I4 and 22.

Between the walls I2 and I3 is the furnace firebox or combustion chamber 30. This is equipped with a grate 3 I, and the firebox may be fed through a door 32 in a side wall.

Embedded in the wall I3, at vertically spaced intervals above the level of the grate, are horizontally disposed, tubular pipe headers 35 and 36. Likewise, inthe wall I2, at the same level as header 36, is a header 31. The headers 36 and 31 are connected by spaced horizontal tubes 38. Likewise, the headers 35 and 36 are connected at their ends by pipes 39 and the headers 35 and 31 are connected by parallel, spaced pipes 40, as seen in Fig. 2. These various headers and tubes are filled with water to the level indicated. The header 35 here serves as a steam drum, and a steam pipe 42 leads from the top of the drum downwardly and rearwardly to the lower end of a vertically set pipe coil 45 which coil has a pipe 41 leading from its upper end into the lower end of the retort; and there is a pipe 43 leading from the upper end of the retort for the conduction of vapors from the retort chamber to a condenser or point of discharge.

The retort shell is equipped at upper and lower ends respectively with doors 50 and 5I, suspended by suitable hinges, as at 52, and are equipped with latches 53 for holding them shut.

In use of the device for the making of charcoal,

.it is charged with material through the upper end opening, with bottom door 5| closed and latched. When the chamber has been filled to the proper or designated level, the top door is closed and latched. Furnace heat then is maintained to heat the retort'and at the same time to generate steam which becomes superheated and is admitted into the lower end of the retort through pipe 41 as required. Vapors evolved during the operation are evacuated from the upper end of the chamber through pipe 48 and may be conducted into a wash box for the separation and recovery of wood oil therefrom. In this use of the steam, all latent heat reaches the material to be treated and isnot lost by radiation or condensation. V

Upon completing the charring of the wood th'e finished charge may be discharged upon opening the lower end door 5|.

ing the said chamber and supporting it in an inclined position for gravity unloading of charges level at inner and outer side walls of the fire box and a header at a higher level, directly above the header in the inside wall, water circulating pipes between the headers at the same level and be- :tween those in vertical spacing, and a bank of water heating pipes extended between the header The apparatus is similarly used for various cal 1 cining operations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

cylindrical reaction chamber equipped'with doors at its ends, a furnace enclosof higher level and that in the outside wall, a steam pipe leading from the header at the higher level, and forming a coil in the combustion chamber for the superheating of steam; said coil having an outlet into the lower end of the retort, and said retort having a pipe leading from its upper 'YELMER RECORDS. 

